Data-centric network: a network that carries digital data, primarily to facilitate information exchange among computers and computer peripherals. Examples include distributed computer networks such as the Internet.
Telephony-centric network: a network that carries telephony information such as voice, fax, page messages, and the like, primarily to facilitate information exchange among telephony devices.
Message: a communication which may be transmitted via either the data-centric network or the telephony-centric network. Examples include voicemail, electronic mail (email), facsimile (fax), page, and the like.
Telecommunication device: POTS telephone, cellular telephone, satellite telephone, web telephone, PC (desktop and laptop), web surfer, personal digital assistant (PDAs), facsimile machine, teletype, modem, video telephone, set top telephone.
Web telephone: a telephone implemented via a computer that is coupled to the data-centric network. An example is a PC with microphone, speaker and internet connection.
Set top telephone: a telephone set coupled to a cable-based set top box, bypassing the local telco provider. The cable-based system may be provided by, for example, WebTV, TCI cablevision.
Web surfer: an Internet-ready PC with a network connection and pre-installed web browser.
PDA: personal digital assistant, e.g., Palm Pilot available from 3 COM.
Thin Web Client: A commonly employed web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigatorxe2x80x94JAVA enabled.
PSTN: Public Service Telephony-centric network, e.g., ATandT, MCI, Sprint-owned telco.
GUI: graphic user interface
POTS: plain old telephone service
NOC: Network Operations Center
POP: point of presence, e.g., co-location at a local telco switch or at a company controlled area with T1 connections to a local switch.
WPOP: Web POP
VPOP: Voice POP
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the field of messaging, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for utilizing a data-centric network to deliver a message to a receiving device at a scheduled time, where the receiving device is coupled either to the data-centric network or to a telephony-centric network.
2. Description of the Related Art
The advent of the telephone at the turn of the century presented a new form of communication to the population at large. Whereas prior messages were delivered directly to a message recipient either by mail, telegraph, or personal courier, telephones introduced a new option for delivering a message. More urgent matters were treated immediately with a telephone message while less important matters were relegated to the mail. The option to call or write notwithstanding, a message originator still knew that the message itself was being delivered to a particular geographic location, presumably in the presence of a message recipient. One of the most elementary systems for delivering a message was known as a messaging service. To utilize such a service, the message originator selected message recipients and either wrote or dictated a message to an operator who, in turn, distributed the broadcast message serially to each message recipient over the telephony-centric network. If the nature of the message required that it be delivered at a particular time, then the operator simply held the message until it was time to deliver it.
The advent of automated voicemail systems provided the means to take the human element out of the loop. Using a voicemail system, a message originator could record a message from his/her telephone and subsequently enter the telephone numbers of recipients for the message. More advanced voice mail systems provided to capability to specify a delivery time for the message.
Facsimile (fax) machines expanded the messaging options for a user. Now with a machine connected to the telephony-centric network, the user could convert a written page into electrical signals to be transmitted to a like machine over the telephony-centric network. The like machine would then translated the electrical signals back to text form and print out the transmitted page, thus delivering a textual message in a textual format. Higher end fax machines allow the user to prescribe a delivery time for an entered fax, which is a very useful feature since long distance rates are typically lower during the night. By delaying transmission of faxes until nighttime, a user can save money.
Though perhaps the most revolutionary series of events to advance the art of messaging has been the development of computer networking technologies resulting in what is now known as the Internet, along with related audio recording, storage, and transmission techniques. Today a user can access the Internet from virtually anywhere in the world and retrieve electronic mail (email) in text form or in voice form. Delayed messaging, or future messaging, can be implemented on a desktop or laptop computer by purchasing special-purpose software that allows the user to additionally prescribe a delivery time for a created message. Delayed email messages are extremely useful tools for scheduling a task management applications.
Cellular phones and pagers also provide a user with the ability to send and receive messages from other than a fixed location. Cellular phone and pager technologies are on the verge of providing worldwide coverage. It will soon be possible to call or page a message recipient anywhere in the world.
But in spite of the above noted advances, several problems still exist. A first problem relates to restricted distribution of a message. More specifically, a message that is entered from a device connected to the telephony-centric network, i.e., a device having an assigned telephone number, is restricted for delivery to devices that are also connected to the telephony-centric network. A device with a telephone number is designed to distribute messages similar devices having telephone numbers.
Likewise, a message that is entered from a device connected to the Internet or similar data-centric network, i.e., a device having an assigned Internet Protocol (IP) address, is restricted for delivery to devices that are also connected to the Internet. A device with an IP address is designed to distribute messages to similar devices having IP addresses.
A second problem is that future messaging features are not viable from a cost standpoint for the average consumer. A sole proprietor or small business entrepreneur is most often not in the position to retain a messaging service or to acquire high end capitol equipment, for the sole purpose of obtaining future messaging capabilities. He/She chooses rather to live without the capability and depend upon whatever capabilities exist in the competitive marketplace. Cost-competitive voice mail systems do not provide future messaging capabilities. To obtain delayed fax and email capabilities he/she is required to purchase special-purpose hardware and/or software.
A third problem regards the format translation for messages. Since techniques are now available to transmit both voice and text messages over both the telephony-centric network and the Internet, it is essential that messages for a particular recipient be provided in a format that is compatible with the particular recipient""s receiving device. For example, a computer can function as a facsimile machine, but to provide fax capability on the computer, special-purpose application software is required to translate facsimile format to a format that can be viewed on a computer monitor.
Consequently, if a user today desires to send a message at a specified delivery time to recipients, the user must enter, schedule, and transmit the message on an originating device that is compatible with the receiving device, that possesses future messaging features, and that is part of the same network (i.e., telephony-centric network or data-centric network) as the receiving device. The situation is exacerbated when the message has multiple recipients. A first message must be broadcast to recipients on the telephony-centric network and a second message must be broadcast to recipients over the Internet.
Therefore, what is needed is an apparatus for sending a message to a receiving device at a future delivery time, where the message format and transmission network are transparent to the message originator.
In addition, what is needed an apparatus providing the capability to enter a future message in email format and to have the message delivered to a telephone in voicemail format.
Furthermore, what is needed is an apparatus for transmitting a future message to a number of recipients having receiving devices that are addressable over both the telephony-centric network and a data-centric network.
Moreover, what is needed is a method for transmitting a future message that permits a message originator to specify a delivery time and recipients, where the recipients can be addressed by a telephone number or a data-centric network address.
To address the above-detailed deficiencies, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a messaging system for sending a message to a receiving device at a future delivery time, where the receiving device is coupled to either a telephony-centric network or to a data-centric network.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an apparatus for sending a message to a receiving device, where the receiving device is coupled to either a data-centric network or a telephony-centric network. The apparatus includes a message server, a data-centric network server, and a telephony-centric network server. The message server translates the message into a format compatible with the receiving device and initiates delivery of the message at a delivery time. The data-centric network server is coupled to the message server. The data-centric network server transmits the message over the data-centric network. If the receiving device is addressable over the data-centric network, then the data-centric network server delivers the message to the receiving device. The telephony-centric network server is coupled to the data-centric network server. The telephony-centric network server interfaces the data-centric network server to the telephony-centric network. If the receiving device is addressable by the telephony-centric network, then the telephony-centric network server receives the message from the data-centric network server and delivers the message to the receiving device over the telephony-centric network.
A benefit of the present invention is that a user is not required to retain a messaging service or to acquire special-purpose hardware/software to obtain future messaging capabilities.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a mechanism for sending a message to a receiving device, where the receiving device is coupled to either a data-centric network or a telephony-centric network. The mechanism has a message server and a data-centric network server. The message server translates the message into a format compatible with the receiving device and initiates delivery of the message. The message server has a message scheduler that causes the message server to initiate delivery of the message at a delivery time, the delivery time being specified within the message. The data-centric network server is coupled to the message server and transmits the message over a data-centric network for delivery to the receiving device.
Another benefit of the present invention is that a user is provided with device-independent future messaging capabilities. No longer is he/she required to restrict delivery of messages only to those receiving devices that are addressable over the same network the device used to originate a message.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a system for sending a message at a specified delivery time to a receiving device. The system includes a message scheduler, a message server, a data-centric network server, and a data-centric network. The message scheduler initiates delivery of the message at the specified delivery time. The message server is coupled to the message scheduler and translates the message into a format that is compatible with the receiving device. The data-centric network server is coupled to the message server and transmits the message. The data-centric network is coupled to the data-centric network server. The data-centric network routes the message from the data-centric network server to either the receiving device or a telephony-centric network server, wherein, if the receiving device is addressable over a telephony-centric network, then the data-centric network routes the message to the telephony-centric network server.
A further benefit of the present invention is that a user can configure and execute voicemail messages to himself/herself throughout the day to provide administrative prompts and reminders.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method for sending a message at a delivery time to a receiving device that is coupled either to a data-centric network or a telephony-centric network. The method includes generating the message from an originating device, the message prescribing the receiving device and the delivery time; translating the message into a format that is compatible with the receiving device; at the delivery time, transmitting the message over a data-centric network; and delivering the message to the receiving device.
Yet another benefit of the present invention is that a message originator can enter a message for future transmission to a recipient, without having to be concerned about the network over which the message is transmitted.